Bidspirit auction | WW2 Rare Battle of Britain

WW2 Rare Battle of Britain Roderick Smith 151 sqn signed RAF bomber cover. Smith joined 801 (Fleet Fighter) Squadron on 22nd September 1936, based at Southampton and on HMS Furious. On 26th January 1937 he was posted to the Pilot Pool at Gosport, where he remained until 3rd January 1938 when he joined 802 (Fleet Fighter) Squadron, based at Hal Far, Malta and on HMS Glorious in the Mediterranean. On 19th July 1939 Smith went to 13 FTS Drem, for flying duties as a Flight Commander with the Advanced Training Squadron. He went to 12 Group Pool Aston Down on 2nd November 1939 as an instructor and also 'A' Flight Commander. The unit was redesignated 5 OTU on 15th March 1940. Smith was posted to 151 Squadron at North Weald on 10th June 1940 as 'B' Flight Commander. On 30th June and 14th July he probably destroyed Me109's, on 13th August probably a Do17, on the 24th he destroyed a Do17 and on the 31st he got a probable Me109 and damaged another. He was posted away to Kirton-in-Lindsey on 24th November 1940 to form and then command 255 Squadron. Smith destroyed a Ju88 at night on 5th May 1941 and during the night of 8th/9th May he destroyed a He111 and probably another off the coast of East Yorkshire. He was sent to 54 OTU Church Fenton on 14th June for a course, after which he was posted to 60 OTU East Fortune to instruct on Defiants. Smith took command of 32 Squadron at Manston on 12th December 1941 and led the squadron until promoted to Wing Commander in April 1942. He then went to HQ Fighter Command as Permanent President, Courts of Enquiry into accidents. He was also ASR Staff Officer. In July 1943 Smith did a Spitfire refresher course at Aston Down. In August he was attached to Charmy Down for a Day Fighter Leader course. From September to November he was attached in turn to 129, 403 and 421 Squadrons. Smith was appointed Deputy SASO at HQ Fighter Command in December 1943 and in March 1944 he went on the 2nd course at the Empire Test Pilots School at Cranfield. Smith was attached to Hawkers at Langley in November 1944 and posted to Napiers at Luton in January 1945 as an experimental test pilot on Tempests. He later moved to Percivals at Luton to test Mosquitos. In June Smith was appointed OC 'D' Squadron at Boscombe Down. On 3rd June 1946 he went to the Empire Test Pilots School at Cranfield as OC Flying for the 5th Course. In the post-war RAF Smith held a series of appointments and commands in Britain and Germany. He was made OBE (gazetted 12th June 1958) and retired from the RAF on 23rd June 1962 as a Wing Commander. Good condition Est.